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The next deadline for submission of articles and advertisements for our print edition is: We regret that the newsletter is currently in recess until 2019 due to lack of volunteers to continue producing it for the remainder of this year.

Submissions for the Newsletter or advertising queries, can be made at anytime by email to: bannews@bigpond.com

or posted toP O Box 131 Bannockburn 3331.

or phone / text to03 5281 19550409 432 783

News

Dear Editor

Our communities rely on all sorts of volunteers and I would like to take the opportunity during National Volunteer Week to thank our district’s volunteer CFA firefighters and those that support them.

The CFA’s 60,000 skilled volunteers comprise around 95% of Victoria’s firefighting force. This 24/7 volunteer capability is unique, setting the CFA apart from other fire services in the world.

CFA volunteers are from all walks of life and are highly trained to professional, nationally recognised standards. This enables them to protect our communities in a wide range of situations, including urban and rural fires, motor vehicle accidents, rescues and hazardous material incidents.

Our district has around 1,200 CFA volunteers in 49 brigades, 4 of these brigades comprise of paid and volunteer firefighters stationed together and working seamlessly to protect the community. Overall, we respond to around 11,000 incidents per year, including urban and rural fires, motor vehicle accidents, rescues and hazardous material incidents.

While last summer was relatively quiet, Victoria is one of the most fire prone in the world and this means the CFA needs to maintain a huge surge capacity to provide skilled resources, like ours, to combat Victoria’s multiple and large incidents. Much of this volunteer surge capacity comes from CFA’s outer metropolitan and large regional town brigades, so it is vitally important to maintain a well-trained volunteer and integrated firefighting capability to protect Victoria.

I would like to sincerely thank the families and employers of our volunteers as being called to duty at any time often places a strain on those left behind. Your support is much appreciated.

CFA volunteering is much more than firefighting. It is about community spirit and resilience and is proof volunteers can be relied upon to give tirelessly when others need it the most.